Thousands brave heat for Houston Grand Prix

Updated 10:14 pm, Saturday, October 5, 2013

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle

Image 1of/26

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 26

IndyCar driver, Helio Castroneves, maneuvers to avoid tires that broke loose from a temporary chicane at turn one after it was hit by Josef Newgarden in crash during practice at Grand Prix of Houston course at Reliant Park Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Houston. Earlier race practice was delayed while officials installed a temporary chicane to help driver avoid a problem with the surface of the track. IndyCar qualifying was reschedule for Saturday. Officials plan to make repairs to track overnight. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less

IndyCar driver, Helio Castroneves, maneuvers to avoid tires that broke loose from a temporary chicane at turn one after it was hit by Josef Newgarden in crash during practice at Grand Prix of Houston course at ... more

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle

Image 2 of 26

Madeline Bird, 2, holds an American flag as she waits for the start of race one of the Grand Prix Houston on Friday at Reliant Park.

Madeline Bird, 2, holds an American flag as she waits for the start of race one of the Grand Prix Houston on Friday at Reliant Park.

Photo: Cody Duty, Staff

Image 3 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 4 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 5 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 6 of 26

Firestone and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Firestone and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 7 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 8 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 9 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 10 of 26

Houston Grand Prix Go Kart races in the Paddock

Houston Grand Prix Go Kart races in the Paddock

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 11 of 26

Houston Grand Prix Go Kart races in the Paddock

Houston Grand Prix Go Kart races in the Paddock

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 12 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 13 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 14 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 15 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 16 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 17 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 18 of 26

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston

Photo: L.A. Schaible

Image 19 of 26

Scott Dixon gets a kick out of the trophy for winning Saturday's IndyCar race at Reliant Park. The Grand Prix of Houston continues today.

Scott Dixon gets a kick out of the trophy for winning Saturday's IndyCar race at Reliant Park. The Grand Prix of Houston continues today.

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff

Image 20 of 26

Simona de Silvestro, who placed second Saturday, chats with winner Scott Dixon after the IndyCar race. De Silvestro, 24, is from Switzerland and competes for KV Racing Technology. It was her 63rd career start, and her second place puts her with Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher as the only women in IndyCar history to earn a podium finish. less

Simona de Silvestro, who placed second Saturday, chats with winner Scott Dixon after the IndyCar race. De Silvestro, 24, is from Switzerland and competes for KV Racing Technology. It was her 63rd career start, ... more

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff

Image 21 of 26

Scott Dixon put a target on rival Helio Castroneves after pulling within eight points of him Saturday.

Scott Dixon put a target on rival Helio Castroneves after pulling within eight points of him Saturday.

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff

Image 22 of 26

Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing salutes his Reliant Park fans after he won the first race Saturday.

Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing salutes his Reliant Park fans after he won the first race Saturday.

Mason Bird, 4, center, smiles as he sits with his father, Matthew Bird, right, while they watch the Grand Prix Houston at Reliant, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Houston. Bird said he got his son ear protection to protect his hearing at a young age. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) less

Mason Bird, 4, center, smiles as he sits with his father, Matthew Bird, right, while they watch the Grand Prix Houston at Reliant, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Houston. Bird said he got his son ear protection to ... more

Photo: Cody Duty, Staff

Image 26 of 26

Thousands brave heat for Houston Grand Prix

1 / 26

Back to Gallery

Kaori Fukasawa does not speak much English, but her emotions came through when she talked Saturday about her favorite race car driver, Takuma Sato.

"It's a big deal," she said while waiting to attempt to meet the driver. "We're here for the interaction with the driver."

Fukasawa and her married friends Hisanori and Ryoko Inoue flew from Tokyo to brave Saturday's heat with thousands of other people for the Grand Prix of Houston at Reliant Park.The trio exploded with glee when Sato took first in the pole early in the afternoon. Later, Fukasawa unfurled a team flag as they waited in the sweltering heat to see the driver.

"It's a very good trip," she said.

Too hot to handle

Other race fans did not cope as well when the heat index reached triple digits. More than a dozen people were treated for heat stroke said Jacob Lewis, an emergency medical technician with the Houston Fire Department.

"You can see it start to happen; they start to stumble, and you know," Lewis said. "People aren't drinking enough water out here."

The heat chased many of the racing enthusiasts into cooler Reliant Arena to check out exhibits and glossy hot rods that stood still instead of watching qualifying rounds of IndyCars flying around the track.

A family affair

Oscar Gracia took a break from the races to help build and decorate a model car with his 11-year-old daughter Makaylah.

"I like the speed, and I watch it on TV, but this is her first time," Gracia said. His daughter liked the aesthetics and the deafening roar as the cars flew past.

Latest from the Chron.com Homepage

Click below for the top news from around the Houston area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.